Katherine's Revenge
by niandamlena
Summary: Katherine returns to claim what she thinks is hers. Damon.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Katherine had been watching Elena for a few weeks now. She'd followed just about every move Elena had made. She knew her habits, her friends, even her class schedule. She also knew that Elena was sleeping with Damon. Her Damon. Well she wasn't going to allow that to continue for much longer. When Katherine changed Damon 145 years ago he vowed to love her forever. To be hers forever. Then the witches got stupid and found themselves burned. Then the founding families went on a hunt for the vampires. She and Damon were seperated. Damon said he'd find her and some how get her out of the tomb where the vampires were being taken. He never did. Well the joke had been on him. She'd never been caught. She was too smart for them. Always one step ahead.

Word had gotten to her that Damon was back in Mystic Falls. Longing for her. Thinking she was still bound to the tomb under the old Fells Church.

In 1864 one of the witches escaped the burnings by giving information to the founders about the vampires. Emily was the one who put the spell on the tombs. Trapping the vampires for eternity. Katherine had been forewarned and was able to escape entrapment. Katherine eventually caught up to Emily and killed her. An eye for and eye.

Now here she was again in Mystic Falls. To claim what was rightfully hers.

"You will be mine again Damon."

Damon and Elena were spending some much needed time alone. Lately they had been hanging out a lot with Elena's friends. She wanted them to get to know him. He was a different person now. She'd awakened in him the person he had been as a human so many years ago.

This weekend though Damon wanted Elena all to himself. He made arrangements for a quiet little bungalow on the ocean. In a sleepy little town where no one knew them. It was like being in heaven. They spent the previous evening walking through the little village window shopping and ate at a little outdoor cafe. It was obvious to anyone who saw them that they were in love and some may have thought they were honeymooners. Walking by a little antique store something in the window caught Damon's eye.

"Hang on, lets go in here for a minute." Damon said.

Damon asked the woman behind the counter to see the necklace that was hanging in the window. It reminded him of something his mother had worn years ago. At a closer look it could almost have been hers. The odd thing about it was that he'd given the necklace to Katherine before she'd been put in the tomb.

"Do you know where this came from or anything about it?" He asked

"Not exacly sir I bought it from a pawn shop a few weeks ago." The woman told him. "I assure you it's not stolen" she continued.

He smiled at her. "No I'm sure it's not. My mother had something similar." He told her. "Elena come here and look at this."

Elena was down the counter looking other things. "It's beautiful Damon."

"Lets see how it looks on you." Damon stepped behind Elena and fastened the necklace around her neck. Damon could never get over the resemblance between Elena and Katherine. Infact Elena was an exact duplicate. She didn't know this of course but that wasn't the reason Damon had fallen in love with her. That had been his brother Stefans attraction to her. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's beautiful." she said.

"Not as beautiful as you." he said and kissed her cheek. "Do you take credit cards?" Damon asked the sales lady.

Damon and Elena spent the rest of the night in eachothers arms. Making love. Enjoying eachother. Damon couldn't believe how lucky he was to have found the love of his life a second time. After all the problems they'd had. All the conflict. She never gave up on him. She wouldn't let him give up on himself.

The next morning Damon found Elena out on the patio drinking coffee looking out at the ocean. She jumped as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey why so jumpy?"

"I don't know. I've had this weird feeling for a couple days." She said

"What kind of weird feeling."

"Like I'm being watched or something. The other day I swore someone was in my house."

"Elena why didn't you say something about this?" Damon asked

"Because I'm sure it's just my imagination."

"Well maybe, but I think you should come stay with me for a few days."

"Do you think that's a good idea? I mean, Stefan's still pretty messed up about everything isn't he?"

"You just let me worry about Stefan. He won't be an issue."

Elena snuggled closer into Damons arms. The breeze off the ocean was cool. He made her feel safe, warm and content. For so long she thought Damon's brother Stefan was the one. The love of her life. How wrong she had been. After she and Stefan had broken up and he'd abandoned her on Wickery Bridge and almost killing her, Damon had been the one to pick up the pieces. He worked himself into her heart and she hadn't let go.

Elena watched as the world came alive. Looking up and down the coastline Elena noticed a woman in the distance who seemed to be watching them. Her long dark wavey hair was blowing out behind her in the wind. She looked familiar somehow but Elena couldn't place her from this distance.

"Damon do you see that woman down there?"

"What woman babe?"

"That woman down there watching us."

"You think she's watching us?"

"I..no I guess not."

"Something really does have you spooked. Come on lets go inside. I'll make you breakfast." Damon followed Elena toward the door and glanced back at the woman down the beach. She did seem to be watching them.

Katherine watched Damon and Elena go back into their little love nest. "We'll be together again soon Damon" She said knowing he'd probably hear her voice like a whisper from this distance. She saw the puzzled expression on his face as he closed the door.

"What's wrong Damon?" Elena asked after seeing the expression on his face.

"Huh? Oh nothing. Lets get some breakfast." Damon went to work in the kitchen.

Katherine spent the rest of the weekend stalking her prey and plotting her next steps. As more time passed the more angry she got and the more angry she got the more she wanted to tear Elena limb from limb, but the more she thought about it she realized Damon wasn't innocent in all of this. He hadn't lived up to his vow. Then again, what better way to get back at Damon than to take out his precious Elena. The wheels were turning in her devious mind. She needed to get back to Mystic Falls. Maybe recruit a little help from another vampire she knew. Stefan Salvatore.

She'd heard that Stefan had gone through a sort of morality change. He'd lost control of his humanity when he was forced to drink human blood again. Which Katherine thought was rather pathetic. The boy needed to get a grip, but the situation was about to work in Katherine's favor.

Katherine sat in her car across the street from the boarding house trying to decide how to approach Stefan. Knocking on the door was just a little too boring. Katherine prefered the more dramatic approach. There had never been anything boring about Katherine.

Katherine silently walked up behind Stefan who was standing by the window. "Hello Stefan." she whispered in his ear and in the blink of an eye was gone as Stefan spun around.

"Who's there"

"Why it's me Stefan don't you recognize my voice" She said from the top of the stairs. Stefan turned slowly to the sound of Katherines voice. "I bet I am the last person you expected to see"

"Katherine" He said. Shocked.

"That's right Stefan." She said suddenly standing so close he could smell the scent of her shampoo. "have you missed me?"

"What are you doing here? How did you get out of the tumb?" Stefan asked

"I was never in the tumb. Do you really think I'd be that stupid Stefan? Me? Silly boy. No. You see I had help and I escaped."

"what do you want Katherine?"

Katherine walked around the room taking in the decor. Taking books off shelves. Picking up trinkets for her inspection. Pouring herself a drink she said, "Nice place Stefan. Not my taste in decor but we can't all have my taste can we."

"Answer my question Katherine."

"hmm what question was that Stefan?"

"Lets not play games Katherine. You want something. What is it?"

Katherine rolled her brown eyes. "Stefan you always were such a bore. Probably why I was never really attracted to you" she said thoughtfully. "hmm, anyway, I need your help."

Stefan laughed, "You need my help? What could you possibly need my help with?"

"oh just a little thing. Killing Elena and claiming Damon back." Katherine pressed herself against Stefans body seductively. "You can help me with that can't you Stefan?" She said playfully acting as if she were going to kiss him.

Stefan's temper took over and suddenly he and Katherine were tearing the house apart. "Don't make me kill you Stefan. You know I'm stronger than you ever thought of being." Katherine said after pining him to the floor and holding a broken piece of wood over his heart.

"Why do you have to kill Elena?" Stefan said throwing Katherine off of him. "What's she done to you?"

"She's sleeping with Damon or haven't you noticed."

"believe me I've noticed, but what's that got to do with you?"

"It's got everything to do with me Stefan. Damon is mine and I've come to claim him. Now you can either help me or not, either way I will eliminate Elena. Think about it. I'll be in touch." Katherine opened the front door and turned back to Stefan, "You look good Stefan. Nice seeing you." With a wink and a wave of her fingers she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A few hours later Damon came home looking tanned and relaxed. Stefan was a little irritated to see Elena follow him into the house. "What's Elena doing here?" Stefan asked.

"She's going to stay for a few days." Damon answered.

"She can't stay here." Stefan said.

"Nice to see you too Stefan." Elena said

Damon put their bags down and took what looked to Elena to be a threatening step toward Stefan.

"Guys come on. Don't do this." She said.

"Elena would you excuse us please. I need to talk to Damon alone." Stefan said not breaking eye contact with Damon.

"What ever you have to say Stefan, you can say in front of her, We have no secrets." Damon said.

"It's ok Damon. I'll wait for you upstairs."

They waited until they heard the bedroom door close. Damon poured himself a shot of his favorite bourbon. "alright Stefan what's this about?"

"It's about Katherine."

"what about her?"

"I had a visit from her this morning."

Damon laughed and downed what was left in his glass, "that's impossible Stefan she's been in a tomb for 145 years."

"She wasn't caught Damon. She had warning and help. She ran and now she's back here in Mystic Falls."

Damon couldn't process what Stefan just told him. For 145 years he'd loved Katherine and regretted not saving her. He'd finally let her go when he'd allowed himself to love Elena.

"What does she want?" Damon asked

"You, Damon. She's come to claim you she said."

"Well I say good luck with that. I'm taken."

"There's more Damon." Stefan said. His face full of pain. "Her plan is to kill Elena and she wants me to help her."

Damon calmly poured himself another shot and drank it in one swallow, "I can handle Katherine but Stefan, I swear if you so much as lay a finger on Elena you won't live long enough to regret it."

Damon set his glass down and walked up to his room and Elena.

Damon closed his bedroom door behind him. Elena could tell something was badly wrong.

"Damon what's wrong?"

Damon took her in his arms, holding her tight he kissed the top of her head, "nothing you need to be worried about."

Elena pulled away from him enough to look up into his eyes. They were troubled, haunted. "So you just lied to Stefan."

"Lied to Stefan? What do you mean."

"You told him we have no secrets. We haven't until now. or have we?"

Damon sighed. He couldn't keep things from her. She knew him too well. They were one soul. He had to tell her everything. "Come on. Come sit with me. We need to have a talk."

Damon told Elena the whole story of Katherine from the beginning. From her arrival in Mystic Falls. Her lies. Her truths. Their love. Her tearing the brothers apart. Elena didn't interupt him. She let him get it all out. Her heart broke for him. He'd loved her for almost 2 centuries. That was hard for her to comprehend. She'd only loved him a few months. Though she felt her love for him was as complete and unending. What would happen to them now? She couldn't bear the though of losing him. She didn't know if she could let him go. Even if it's what he wanted. Without saying anything Elena stood and walked to the door.

"Elena?" Damon said without following her.

She didn't turn to look at him. How was she suppose to process the fact that a vendictive vampire was back to lay claim to Damon and kill her in the process. It was all too much for her.

"Damon, I.." She shook her head. There were no words for what she was feeling. "I just need to be alone for a while."

"Where are you going?" His voice full of worry and heartache.

"Just down to the rose garden."

All Damon could do was watch her leave. He wanted to follow her. Take her in his arms and tell her everything would be alright, but he didn't even know that himself. He couldn't remeber the last time he'd cried. Not since becoming a vampire, that much he knew. Until now. When he was sure the last tear had fallen he went to find his brother.

"You've told her everything?" Stefan asked.

"Every disgusting detail." Damon said.

"How did she take it?"

"Not well. She's in the garden processing."

"You let her out of the house alone! Are you crazy? Katherine wants her dead Damon!" Stefan raged

"Relax Sefan. Katherine's crazy but she's not stupid. she's going to put a plan together first. Which is what we need to do and the first thing in that plan needs to be protecting Elena."

Damon and Stefan talked for a long time about what to do. Trying to come up with a plan, or at least an idea. Neither of them heard Elena come back in to the house.

"Damon can we talk?"

"Of course, Stefan we'll finish this tomorrow."

Damon followed Elena up to their room. When they were alone he reached out to her. His arms ached for her but Elena stepped out of his reach.

"Not right now Damon." She walked to the open window.

"Elena I know all of this is a lot to process but.."

"I just need to know one thing Damon." She cut him off without turning around.

"ok" he said

She took a deap breath. She wasn't sure she wanted the answer but she had to ask the question that had been eating at her heart. "Do you still love her?"

"Elena I'll answer any questions you have but please, come sit down. This distance between us is killing me."

Elena did as he asked. "Do you still love her Damon." She asked again

Damon sat next to her. "My love for Katherine was something I carried with me for a very long time." Damon started to explain. Elena took a deap breath to fight away the tears that threatened to come. "It consumed me," he went on, "Eventually it turned into deap regret. I've spent the last century and a half loving her and regretting not being able to save her." Elena's tears were now flowing freely and Damon hated himself for her pain, but he went on. "then I just decided to turn it all off. All my emotions. But I still had to be here. Where she was. Or where I thought she was. To be near her."

"Please stop Damon. I can't hear any more." Elena said with a sob and stood to leave.

"Elena let me finish please. Please sit down." She turned to him. Her eyes pleading for him not to go on. "Please" he said "Elena when I fell in love with you everything I once felt for her, all the love, the regret, ceased to exist. So no Elena I don't love her. I love you Elena. Only you."

"Are you sure Damon? I mean really sure?"

Damon smiled that crooked smile she loved so much. "Elena I am so in love with you that sometimes it takes my breath away." This time Elena let him take her in his arms. Damon held her as she cried.

"Damon what are we going to do?" Elena asked when the sobs finally stopped.

"I don't know but I promise you one thing. I will die before I let her lay a hand on you"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Katherine spent the next few days planning her next move. She continued to stalk Elena and her bodyguards. The Salvatore brothers. Obviously Stefan was going to be of no help to her. What was it about this girl that had them worshiping at her alter? Katherine didn't understand it.

Elena hadn't been back to her apartment in days and after taking inventory of what she had with her at Damons she decided she needed to make a trip home. So she grabbed her purse and started for the front door.

"Hey not so fast." Stefan said. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Just home for a little bit. I need a few things."

"Not alone you're not."

"Stefan I'll be fine. Katherine hasn't made a move. No one's heard from her."

"That's not the point. She's probably out there waiting for you to be left alone so she can make her move."

"Stefan come on. I've been couped up here for days. I need to get out of this house for a little while. Plus I need more clothes and some other stuff."

"It's not happening Elena."

"Fine, then come with me."

"Can't, I'm busy and Damon's out so you are out of luck."

Elena was furious with Stefan. He use to be so easy going and let her make her own choices and decisions. Even if he didn't agree with them. Now it were as if he and Damon had traded places.

After Elena calmed down she let her curiosity get the best of her and started snooping around the house. She found the staircase to the third floor rooms which weren't used anymore except to store old furnature and boxes. Elena found a box that was full of what looked like old Salvatore family journals. She took out a couple and flipped through them. The next book she found was a ledger. Actually it was the guest registry from 1864 when this house was used as a boarding house. Now even more curious Elena searched name by name for Katherine. There was an entry in May for a Katherine Pierce. She started to close the book when something fell out into her lap. It looked like a postcard. When Elena turned it over she was startled to see a black and white portrait of herself or someone who looked exactly like her. There was a name and date written on the picture. "Katherine 1864" Elena gasped. Elena also noticed the necklace Katherine wore in the picture. The same necklace that was now hanging around her own neck.

Elena couldn't breath. She had no idea what was going on. How could she look exactly like this person? Was this why first Stefan and now Damon, especially Damon, had fallen in love with her? "I have to get out of this house" She said through tears she didn't even know were falling.

She took the picture and her or Katherine's necklace and left them on Damons bed. Gathered her things and left the Salvatore house.

Elena couldn't stay in her apartment either. Memories of Damon were everywhere. His leather jacket hung over the back of a chair. A pair of his pants on her bed. His clothes in her laundry basket. A hair brush. She couldn't stand it. She got out a suitcase and started throwing clothes and things she's need for several days at her parents lake house into it. Before she left she stopped in the living room. A picture of she and Damon taken a few weeks before sat in a frame on a table. She grabbed it and left the apartment.

When Damon arrived home later that afternoon he didn't even notice Elena's car missing from the driveway. Stefan was sitting on the couch reading.

"Hey Stef. Is Elena upstairs?"

"I guess so I haven't seen her since this morning."

Damon climbed the stairs calling Elena with no answer. He wasn't really concerned. It was a big house. She probably couldn't hear him.

"Elena." he said walking into the bedroom. She wasn't there. He checked the bathroom. Not there either. Damon looked around the room and noticed that her things were gone. What was goin on? Then he saw it. The picture and necklace on the bed. "What the.." Damon picked up the picture. "Oh my god" Damon took the picture and in a split second was back on the first floor with his hand around Stefans throat.

"Where did she get this picture Stefan?"

"What are you talking about? What picture?"

"This picture." Damon said shoving the picture of Katherine into Stefans chest.

"I have no idea where she found this Damon. She must have been snooping through some of the old boxes upstairs."

"I can't even imagine what she must be thinking. Why did you keep that stupid thing for all these years? I have to go find her."

"You don't even know where she went."

"So what do you suggest I do Stefan? Just sit here and hope she comes back before Katherine finds her? Can we at least pretend that you still care about what happens to her for 5 minutes Stefan."

Damon continued to call her cell while he drove around town looking for Elena. She wasn't anywhere. Damon was beginning to panic. He couldn't imagine what she must be thinking. He should have told her. How could he have been so stupid. There was just one place left to look. The Gilbert lake house. It was 2 hours away but it was the only place left that he could think of. Damon was just about to turn on to the state highway when his phone rang. He didn't recognize the number.

"Hello" he said

"Hello Damon."

Damons blood ran cold. "Katherine."

"I've missed you Damon."

"What do you want Katherine. I'm a little busy at the moment."

"I want you Damon."

"Too bad Katherine. I'm taken."

"This is a beautiful lake Damon. Lots of trees. Nice house too."

"You're bluffing."

"Am I? She drives a red Explorer. Sadly 2 of the tires are now flat. Shame when that happens. No phone serves to the house either. Someone must have cut the wires. Oh and when she took her things into the house she left her cell in the car...it's in the lake now. Nice talking to you Damon."

"Dammit!" Damon yelled as he dial Stefan

"Did you find her?"

"Not exactly but I got a call from Katherine. I'm heading to the lake house. I think Elena is there and if she is she's in trouble. Katherine is there."

"Alright I'm on my way. Meet you there."

"ok see you there."

"Hey, Damon."

"yeah"

"We'll get to her. Don't worry."

"I hope so brother."

Katherine watched Elena move through the house from the shadows outside. She finally had her exactly where she wanted her. She wasn't going to kill her right away. She was just going to play with her a little bit. She might even let Damon have her back for a while.

Katherine walked into the house through the front door. Elena was coming down the stairs from the second floor. Katherine hid in the shadows. Cat and mouse was one of Katherine's favorite games. She could see Elena's nervousness with every glance in the direction of a noise Katherine made. Katherine decided it was time to finally make her move. Elena was in the kitchen getting something from the microwave. Elena walked back into the livingroom just as Katherine came in from the hallway. "Hello Elena." Katherine said. Elena dropped her dinner and took a step backward. Elena couldn't speak. She was paralized with fear.

"We haven't met. I'm Katherine."

"I..I know who..who you are."Elena stammered.

"Good. That's very good." Katherine said stepping closer

"What do you want?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? Stefan asked me that the other day. Damon ask me that a little bit ago and now you. Isn't it obvious what I want. Why else would I come to this boring little town. I want you dead and Damon where he belongs."

"You..You talked to Damon?"

"Yes just a little bit ago. He said to say hello. He seemed happy to hear from me"

"I found a picture of you." Elena said ignoring Katherine's taunting

"Did you? Probably that old picture I gave to Stefan. Surprised he kept it. What did you think?"

"How do we look exactly alike?"

"They didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what."

"You are the Petrova doppleganger Elena. That's how."

"The what?" Elena was sure that Katherine had lost her mind.

"I am your long lost Petrova ancestor Elena. Sad that I want you dead. You know..being that we're related and all." Katherine said with a sinister grin.

"My Petro..what? Katherine you make no sense. I'm not related to anyone named Petrova. Besides isn't your last name Pierce."

"Oh my god no one's told you." Katherine said with a laugh

"What? Told me what?" Elena asked.

Katherine smiled wickedly at Elena. "Damon's great in bed don't you think." She said picking up a picture of Elena and her family. "Cute brother you have."

Elena didn't answer. She just kept her eyes on Katherine as she walked around the room.

"You don't have to say so. I already know. Anyway, I'll let you live tonight and just for the record, the picture you found belongs to Stefan. Not Damon."

Suddenly Elena was alone. Her legs would no longer hold her up and she collapsed to the floor in her shock and fear. How could this be happening? What had happened to her life? 3 years ago she was just a normal high school girl. With normal friends. A normal boyfriend. How did everything get so insane? Suddenly everything went black. Elena passed out in shock.

She had no idea how long she'd been out. When she woke up she heard a voice saying her name.

"Elena. Wake up babe."

It was Damon.

"That's it. Come on. Open your eyes. Everything's ok."

She was in his arms.

"Damon?"

"Come on Elena open your eyes. Everything's ok. It's just me."

Elena was still in shock but she forced herself to look up at Damon. "I look like her"

"I know. I'm so sorry Elena." Damon sat on the floor holding Elena as she clung to him crying.

"Why Damon?"

"Why what babe?"

"Why do I look like her?"

"I don't know but I promise you we'll figure it out. I won't let her hurt you Elena I promise. You have to trust me ok"

Elena looked up at Damon. Her eyes full of tears and sadness. "Is this why you fell in love with me? Because I look like her? Be honest with me Damon."

Damon looked into Elena's eyes and spoke with complete honesty, "Elena I fell in love with you. Not with your resemblance to Katherine. You are nothing like her and you never could be. Maybe at first it's what attracted me to you but once I got to know you. You're heart and everything else about you. Nothing else mattered."

"What about Stefan?"

"I can't answer for Stefan."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know. He was suppose to meet me here."

"Damon."

"yeah?"

"I love you"

"I love you too Elena."

"Take me home please"

Damon helped Elena to his car and after gathering the things she'd brought with her he drove her home.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Katherine was furious with herself. She had Elena exactly where she wanted her. She could have ended it right then and there. She could have ripped her throat out, disposed of her and taken over her life. She would be with Damon right now. She watched Damon drive away with Elena. As if things couldn't get worse Katherine's phone rang. "What now!"

"Hello!" She said angrily

"Have you found the doppleganger Katerina?"

It was Elijah. Things just took a turn for the worse.

"Yes Elijah I have."

"Is she safe?"

"oh she's safe alright."

"What do you mean by that?"

"She's being protected by the Salvatores. Klaus won't get anywhere near her."

"Very good. She needs to stay alive Katerina. It won't end well for you if any harm comes to her."

Katherine rolled her eyes and sighed. "I understand."

"Do you really Katerina?"

"Yes Elijah. I will talk to the Salvatores and tell them the danger Elena is in."

"After your antics these last few days you will have to work hard to convince them. I'll be in touch."

Elijah hung up. Katherine couldn't believe the turn her plan had just taken. Elijah had been watching her. When he'd sent her to warn the Salvatores about Klaus' plan to find the Petrova doppleganger she thought she could get away with doing things her own way. Elijah was no fool. How stupid she had been. She dialed Damon's number.

"What!" came the angry voice from the other side of the phone.

"Damon you have to listen to me." Katherine said

"Katherine the only thing I have to do is get Elena home then find you and drive a stake through you."

"No Damon this is serious, Elena is in danger."

"No kidding."

"Damon I'm serious. Elena is the Petrova doppleganger and Klaus is after her. So far he doesn't know who or where she is but he's looking. He's followed my bloodline and it's just a matter of time before he follows it right to Elena."

"You're lying" he said. Damon looked at Elena. She was watching him with concern "what" she mouthed. He shook his head "later" he mouthed back. "This is just another one of your scemes to get to Elena. It's not going to work Katherine."

"Damon if you want to keep her alive you have got to listen to me."

"I'm confused. Why do you care if she stays alive." Damon asked taking Elena's hand.

"Well purely for selfish reasons really. Elijah will kill me if Klaus kills Elena and because I know you love her. I don't want to see you go through that. Klaus plans to sacrifice her. He needs human Petrova blood and since I'm no longer human..you get my point."

Damon looked into Elena's eyes. "Meet us at the house." he said and hung up.

"Damon what are you doing? Katherine is crazy. How can you tell her to meet us at home? Do you want her to kill me?"

"She's not going to kill you. Her own life has been threatened. That's more important to her than killing you."

"I don't understand"

Damon spent the rest of the drive home telling Elena everything Katherine had said.

"How can you be so sure we can trust her?" Elena asked as she got out of the car.

"2 reasons Elena." Katherines voice came from behind her. "Number one, If I'd wanted you dead at the lake house you would be and number 2, my own life is worth more to me than yours is so..You get my drift." She said and swaggered into the Salvatore house. Damon and Elena looked at eachother, shook their heads and followed her in.

"Well this does bring back memories doesn't it?" Katherine said. "Only..my memories are of you, me and Stefan. Not you, me and...her." Katherine sneared at Elena. "She doesn't have to stay, does she Damon? I mean..She does have that cute little apartment."

"Stop being childish Katherine. It's unbecoming of a woman your age." Damon said filling a glass with bourbon. Katherine started to say something else but Elena cut her off.

"Why don't both of you stop" Elena said. Clearly frustrated. "I need to know what's going on"

"Elena's right. Katherine why don't you tell us what is going on." Damon said wrapping an arm around Elena's waist and kissing her cheek.

"Ugg can you guy just stop being so...cute." Katherine said as she too poured herself a drink.

"Katherine why don't you start from the beginning." Damon said. "Who the hell is Klaus and what does he want with Elena."

"First I need to explain how Elena is connected to me." Katherine went on to explain her life in Bugaria in the 1400's as Katerina Petrova. The birth of her baby out of wedlock and the shunning that followed. "Eventually I had to leave Bulgaria. Which is how I crossed paths with Klaus, Elijah and the rest of the original family. The original vampire family that is."

"So they turned you into a vampire?" Elena asked.

"No. I'll get to that."

"So how am I related to you?"

"The Gilberts weren't your real parents Elena. You were adopted."

"What! That's not true!" She looked at Damon. "Damon? It's not true is it?"

"I don't know Elena. Calm down. We'll figure it out. Lets just let her finish." Damon said trying to sooth her.

"It's true Elena. It's all in the Petrova journals. I've got the last one. It's the one that documents you and traces you back to me."

Katherine went on with her story. She told them of her life in England. Befriending Elijah. Courting Klaus. Ultimately betraying Klaus and fleeing for her life.

"I ran so far and for so long I had no idea where I was. A man named Trevor found me but he was with Klaus' hunting party. He took pitty on me and sent me to his friend Rose. Rose is who turned me. Well I turned myself really." Katherine stopped to fix herself a drink.

No one said anything for several minutes. Elena thought Katherine's story was confusing and a little sad.

"So how did you change yourself?" Elena asked.

"Rose wasn't exactly thrilled to have a stranger in her hideout and when I told her why I was there and why Trevor sent me she was furious. She forced her blood on me and locked me in a room alone. So I hung myself."

"So..I don't understand. How does killing yourself turn you into a vampire?" Elena asked.

"If a human dies with vampire blood in their system they well come back as a vampire." Damon explained.

Elena looked at Katherine horrified "and you knew this?"

"Of course. That's why I did it. That was the second act of betrayal. Now that I was no longer human Klaus could no longer use me. Which is now why he wants you. Well he doesn't exactly know it's you. He's only just recenly learned there is another human Petrova doppleganger."

"I think I've heard enough for one night" Elena said.

"Yeah it's getting pretty late lets finish this tomorrow." Damon said.

"Fine with me but ah do you guys mind if I crash here for the night?" Katherine asked.

Damon and Elena exchanged a look.

"oh for crying out loud. I promise to behave myself." Katherine said rolling her eyes.

"What do you think?" Damon asked Elena

"Fine with me I guess. But you stay off the second floor." Elena said giving Katherine a stern look.

Damon and Elena layed in bed talking late into the night. Neither was sure if they trusted Katherine but they believed her story and the danger Elena was in.

"Well there is one solution to the whole problem." Elena said. Snuggling closer to Damon.

"What would that be?"

"do what Katherine did. Turn into a vampire." She said very mater of factly.

"That's not a solution. That's a very last resort and only if the problem becomes very dire."

They were quiet again for a long time. Elena thought Damon had fallen asleep. She looked up at him. His face was thoughtful, serene.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"You. The possibilty of being put in the situation where I'd have to take your life to save it."

"You don't think could do it?"

"I honestly don't know Elena." He said looking into her eyes.

"I wouldn't really be dead."

Damon sort of half grinned. One of the things he loved about Elena was how she always tried to put things into perspective. "I know that Elena. It's the act of actually ending your human life that I don't think I could do."

"Well how about this. I take your blood and Katherine kills me. I know she'd be more than happy to do it. Problem solved."

"That's not even remotely funny. Let's just take it one day at a time ok. You know, cross that bridge when we come to it. Besides I thought you told Stefan you didn't want to be a vampire. Never wanted to be one. Yada yada."

"That was 2 years ago Damon. I was still in high school. I didn't know what I wanted. I didn't even know if I wanted him for eternity. Obviously I didn't. Plus that time the blood had been force on me..if you remember correctly." She gave him a scolding look. "I was scared, young and just really unsure of life."

"and now you know what you want in life 2 years later?"

"I'm here with you aren't I? Talking honestly about ending my life. My human life that is."

Damon pulled Elena closer to him. "Yes you are."

"I love you Damon."

"and I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Katherine was starting to get bored and a bored Katherine wasn't a good thing for anyone.

She wanted to get back to her original plan. Eliminate Elena and claim Damon. So what if Elijah found out. She had run from him before she could do it again. It would be worth it even more if she had Damon with her.

Her perfect opportunity was coming. Elena's winter break from school was coming and she was planning a "girls" ski trip with her friends for a week. Leaving Damon home alone. She could do one of 2 things. Compel Damon's love and make him forget about Elena or pretend to be Elena. Home early, the weather too bad to ski. The only problem with that plan was what to do when Elena did come home. Well that would be the perfect time to kill her and convince Damon she was Katherine pretending to be Elena. Confusing as that sounded even to her. It would work. She would make it work.

With that figured out Katherine had shopping to do. Elena's taste in clothing was horrid but Damon would notice the difference in a second. She also needed to straighten her hair. Katherine's own hair was beautiful and wavey. Elena's was boring and straight.

When everything was done Katherine waited a couple days before making her move. "Yuck what does Damon see in you Elena?" Katherine said to herself in the mirror.

Katherine went as far as to compel herself into a car exactly like Elena's which she now drove to Damons. It was snowing hard which fit her plan well. Maybe Elena would be snowed in for months or ski off a cliff. Katherine smiled at her wicked thoughts.

"Damon I'm home!" Katherine called as she walked into the house.

"Elena?"

"Yeah"

"What are you doing home?" Damon asked, helping Katherine off with her coat.

"The weather was too bad." She said

"That's too bad." Damon said taking Katherine in his arms and kissing her. "I missed you."

"Damon you have no idea how I've missed you." Katherine said kissing him passionately.

"Wow! What's gotten into you?" Damon said breathless. Kissing down her neck. Caressing her body.

Katherine pulled at Damon's shirt not worrying about the buttons. "There's much more where that came from."

They didn't bother to take themselves up to the bedroom. They let their passion take over. They made love for what seemed like hours. Afterwards, Damon lay with Katherine dozing in his arms. Of course thinking it was Elena. Breathing in the sweeth scent of her. A scent he didn't recognize. "she must have bought a new body spray" he thought.

Damon couldn't believe the change in her after just a few days apart. Elena wasn't usually shy in bed. They had an exciting sex life but this was completely out of charactor for her. It blew Damons mind. They stayed where they were all night. Periodically waking and making love though the night.

Waking in Damon's arms Katherine was finally satisfied.

"Good morning." Damon said smiling.

"Morning." She said almost shyly as she figured Elena would.

"I um, I'm not complaining or anything but what in the world got into you?" Damon asked laughing.

Katherine laughed as well. "Oh I don't know. The weather maybe."

"Then I hope it snows for the rest of our lives."

"Well for vampires that would be for a very very long time." Katherine mentally cringed at the mistake she'd just made.

Damon laughed. "Very true."

Obviuously he didn't pick up on her slip up. Relieved for the moment Katherine said, "I'm hungry."

"Me too. I'll make us some eggs." Damon said.

That wasn't exactly what Katherine meant but she could eat eggs too.

"Ok I'll go shower."

When Katherine was safely alone she snuck to the old part of the house where she knew Damon kept a fridge full of stollen blood bags. She grabbed a few and drank quickly. It wasn't as good as fresh 98.6 but it would do. Anything to be with Damon. "Now off to the shower." she said to herself.

When she walked into Damons room she heard a ringing. It was Damons phone. She'd forgotten that little detail. She picked it up. The name on the screen said Elena. "Should I or shouldn't I" Katherine thought. Wondering if she should answer and play a little with Elena. "Oh why not" She pushed the answer button. "Hello Elena" She said.

"Hi, um, Katherine?"

"mhmm"

"Why are you answering Damons phone?" Elena asked.

"Damon's busy. Couldn't come to the phone." Katherine said inspecting her nails.

"Oh..Well..Katherine is everything ok? Is Damon ok?" Elena didn't know why but something didn't seem right to her.

"Elena, Damon is more than ok. I'll tell him you called. Bye now." Katherine ended the call and snapped the phone in half. Throwing the pieces deep into the large fireplace Katherine headed for the shower.

"Something's not right" Elena said

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked

"I just called Damon and Katherin answered. She said Damon was busy and couldn't answer. The whole thing was weird."

"You're over reacting Elena. I'm sure everything is fine. Come on lets hit the slopes."

The rest of the week flew by. Elena didn't worry any more about Damon. She tried to call a few more times but only got the message that the cell lines were down due to the weather. When Elena started the drive home she tried Damon again. This time his phone rang until it went to voicemail. She left a message telling him she was on her way home. She couldn't wait to get home. She'd missed him.

The weather was bad and the road slick. So she had to take her time. A couple times the back end of her car fishtailed. "better put it in 4wheel drive." She said to herself.

The rest of the 4 hour drive home went smoothly though the weather didn't seem too clear any. When Elena pulled into the driveway she was struck by a car exactly like hers sitting there. "What the heck" she said.

Leaving her bags in the car Elena went into the house and was struck with horror at the sight before her. Damon was in the arms of another woman passionately making love to her.

"Damon! OMG Damon No!" She cried.

Damon was startled at the outburst and jumped up. At that point she saw his partner.

"What the..Elena?" He stammered in shock looking from her to Katherine on his floor.

Katherine was smiling like the cheshire cat.

"Damon what have you done!" Elena said through sobs.

"Elena..Listen..I...She..OMG!"

"Don't Damon. Just don't. I have to get out of here! I have to go!" Elena ran for the door.

Damon started pulling his clothes on to chase after Elena.

"How could you do this Katherine? What kind of sick person have you become? What did Elena ever do to you?"

"Admit it Damon you enjoyed yourself."

"You know, I knew something was off. I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew there was something not right. You're sick and disgusting Katherine and I want you out of my house." Damon spat. Then grabbing her throat, "and if I ever see you again Katherine. I'll kill you! Do you understand me?" Damon's words and tone were so fierce Katherine was actually afraid of him.

Elena couldn't see much of the road through her tears and the snow. She didn't know where she was even going. She just knew she had to get away from that house. She was driving way too fast and the road was very slick. She started to lose control of her car. Elena tried to correct the skid but went out of control the other direction. This time she couldn't begin to try to correct her car. She was spinning out of control towards Wickery bridge. She hit her head on the window and was dizzy. Next thing she knew she heard crashing, glass breaking and her car rolling. Falling off the bridge into the frozen water below. Elena felt pain slice deep into her neck and a rush of hot liquid mix with the icy cold. She couldn't move. She was pinned between the driver seat and the stearing wheel. She could move one arm enough to feel a large shard of glass sticking through her neck.

"Omg I'm going to die. Damon please find me." A whisper was all the strength she could find. Then it all went black.

Damon had no idea where Elena could have gone but he followed the only tracks he could see. They were heading toward the old Wickery bridge. "Oh Elena no!"

As Damon got closer he saw evidence of the spinout, then the broken brick on the bridge but Elena's car was nowhere. He got his car stopped and got out. Looking over the side of the bridge he could see Elena's car. Upside down, tires still spinning. "Oh go no! Please be alive." he thought. "Elena!" He called. Damon ran down the snowy embankment to her car. Looking in a window he was stuck with horror. There was no way she was alive. Damon choked back a sob "oh Elena I'm so sorry."

"Damon" he heard her whisper

"Elena!"

"Damon help me."

"I'm coming baby just hold on." Damon ripped the passenger door off and climbed inside the car. "Wow babe." Damon was shocked at the state she was in.

"Damon am I going to die?" Her voice hardly above a whisper. Her breathing was labored and Damon could hear the liquidy gurgle of death in it.

"Elena listen to me. Remember our last resort? We're going to do that now ok. Don't think about it. Just do what I say ok." Tears flowed from Damons eyes. He pulled back his shirt sleeve and ripped his wrist open. Damon pressed it to Elenas mouth. She made a sickened face. "Don't think about it babe. Just drink what you can. It doesn't have to be a lot."

Elena drank what she could from him and pushed his hand away.

"Elena, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was Katherine." Damons eyes pleading and full of tears.

"I know Damon. I love you." and then Elena was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Damon struggled to control his emotions while he took care of Elena. He knew it could take hours or even days before she woke. Her neck wounds were healing and that was a good sign. He'd gotten to her in time.

Memories flooded his mind as he held her. Their first meeting. Getting to know her. Developing their friendship. Then finally realizing that he was falling in love with her. Their up and down struggle of coming to terms with how they felt about eachother. The greatest day of his life was the day she finally admitted her love for him. They hadn't been apart since. He swore to himself that he'd spend the rest of his days showing her how sorry he was for everything that had gone on in the past week. That is A. if she'd feed to finish transitioning and b. if she'd still have him if she did finish the last stage. A knock on the bedroom door snapped Damon back to the present.

"Come in Stefan."

"Hey. How's she doing?"

"Same. Did you take care of the car?"

"Yes. I put the plate on the one Katherine stole. How are you holding up?"

"I've had better days."

Stefan didn't want to say what he was thinking. Damon was beating himself up enough, but he couldn't help but lay most of the blame on Damon. Now Elena had been forced to become something she'd never wanted. She still had a choice though. She could chose not to feed.

"I feel like such an idiot." Damon said. "How could I not know it wasn;t Elena?"

"Katherine is the mistress of disception Damon. Look what she did to us back in 1864."

"I never thought she'd stoop this low."

"Question is, What do we do about her now?"

"She's long gone. I told her that if I ever saw her again I'd kill her and I will Stefan. She'll pay for this."

"She'll be back Damon. She's not afraid of anything or anyone."

"Then it'll be game on, but for right now all I care about is Elena and getting her through the transition."

"What if she doesn't Damo? She never wanted this."

"We talked about it after Katherine showed up. She'll finish transitioning."

"Well we'll find out soon. He neck has healed."

Stefan was right. It wasn't long before Elena was taking her first breaths. Elena seemed to be in a panic, disoriented.

"It's ok Elena. I've got you. You're at home. In our bed." Damon said. Soothingly.

"Damon I feel weird what happened?"

"You're transitioning babe. Remember the accident?"

"I remember coming home and..OMG Damon why?" Elena started to cry. "Why did she do this to us?"

"Because she's an evil sociopath who only cares about herself."

"I remember spinning out of control, crashing, then everything going black. Then you were there. You saved me. Our last resort."

"Yep, our last resort."

Elena sat up out of Damons arms. Turning to look at him she said, "You were able to do it."

"I did the easy part. The dying part was all you. I was almost too late."

"So you know what this means don't you Damon?" Elena said.

"That you're now a vampire?"

"No..well yes but besides that."

"I'm not following you Elena." Damon laughed

Elena took Damons face in her hands. "Damon by giving me your blood to save me you have linked us together forever."

"I like the sound of that." Damon said and kissed her, "but there is one thing you have to do to complete the process."

"Feed?"

"Yes"

Elena nodded "ok" She seemed almost sad.

"I'll go get a couple bags." Stefan said from the door.

"He looks sad." Elena said

"No different than usual."

"Be nice Damon this can't be easy for him." Elena scolded.

"Do you want to talk about what happened this week?" Damon asked changing the subject.

Elena shook her head, "No I don't want to know any of it."

"I'm so sorry Elena."

"Damon it wasn't your fault."

"I should have paid closer attention. There were little things that seemed off but I ignored it all. Can you forgive me me Elena?"

"Damon stop. She tricked you. There is nothing to forgive."

"I don't deserve you Elena."

"Yes you do."

Stefan was back a few minutes later with 2 blood bags for Elena. Then left them alone.

Damon opened the first bag for her. "It's going to be weird at first. Just take a little at a time."

Elena looked at the bag in Damons hand. She got up from the bed and went to the window. Everything was different now. Her life had drastically changed. Sure they had talked about this but she'd never really expected it to happen.

"Elena?" Damon said.

"Damon do you mind if I have a little time alone?" Elena asked. She needed to think a little. Sort things through on her own.

"Sure, yeah, I'll be downstairs." Before Damon walked out the door. he turned back to her. "Elena"

"Yes Damon" She said without looking back at him.

"I just want you to to know, What ever you decide," He knew she was weighing her options,"I'll love you always. No matter what."

Elena couldn't respond. She was too emotional. Tears streamed down her face. She was only able to nod in response. When she heard the door click shut behind her she let out the first of many sobs. She'd never really wanted this. Sure she wanted to be with Damon for as long as she could but she always assumed she'd grow up. She was only 19. She'd met the Salvatore brothers when she was 17. Now, if she finished the transition, she'd forever be 19. If she didn't, she'd die, again. She wondered how her life had gotten so out of control. It wasn't long ago she'd had a normal life with parents who'd loved her. A normal boyfriend. Normal friends. The only things she was very sure of was how much she loved Damon Salvatore. When they first met she was dating his brother but she was struck by him. Confused by him. Then eventually she fell for him. Elena smiled at the memory. Damon captivated her. It had been months of emotional ups and downs for them both before she was finally able to come to terms with her feelings.

Now here she stood. Trying to decide to finish the transition into vampire and stay with her soulmate or let nature take it's course. Soulmate. Suddenly the answer was so clear. Damon was her soulmate. How could she leave him and cause him that kind of pain? She knew that if the shoe were on the other foot there would be no question.

Elena picked up the first bag Damon opened. She took a deep sniff. The scent was intoxicating. So much so her mouth watered. She took her first drink and gagged but she got it down. Finishing the bag got easier with every drink. The second bag went down with no effort at all. Elena felt victorious. She'd done it.

Elena found Damon and Stefan talking quietly in the living room. "Hey guys." She said.

Damon got up and went to her. "I didn't mean to preassure you Elena. I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" He was holding her so tight she couldn't breath.

"Damon you're squishing me" she said laughing abd breaking free of his vice grip. "I'm fine but we need to talk. All 3 of us."

Damon looked crushed. He didn't know she'd drank the bags dry of course. " uh ok" He said.

"Sit down" She said to him. "First things first. Stefan," She looked at him, " you will stop you mopping around. Get over it. Life handed you lemons. Make lemonade. I happen to know someone who is dying for you to ask her out so give Caroline a call." Stefan just looked at Elena, Surprised at her take charge attitude, "Now for you," She said to Damon, "You stop picking on him. You're brothers. Start acting like it. Stop holding us over his head." Damon too looked shocked. "If we're all 3 going to be here together we're going to have to all get along and get over this weirdness. Now both of you listen to me." Damon and Stefan both staired at her. Mouths hanging open. "I'm going to need one of those daylight rings you guys wear. Only make mine pretty ok." Elena said with a victorious smile.

"So does this mean.."

"Yes Damon. I drank them both." She said sitting on his lap. "I'm sorry about that up there. I just needed a little time alone. To sort through everything. You understand don't you?"

"Of course I do." Damon said and kissed her.

Stefan excused himself. "I'm going to make a phone call."

Elena smiled up at him. "Can I ask you a question Damon?"

"Sure"

"What would you have done if I hadn't decided to drink the blood? If I'd decided I didn't want this and let nature take it's course?"

Damon wrapped his arms around her, "I would have held you until it was over and cried at your funeral. Then I would have gone off alone, taken off my ring and joined you in death because I couldn't be where you aren't."

"Well then I guess it looks like we've saved eachother then doesn't it."

"I guess it does"


End file.
